1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a system and method used for the reduction, manipulation, and fixation of Colles' type distal radial fractures and the like.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
A preliminary patentability search produced the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention:
Canadell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,676, issued May 4, 1993, which discloses an external fixator with controllable damping.
Agee et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,896, issued May 8, 1990, which discloses a Colles' fracture splint.
Jonsson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,119, issued Apr. 24, 1990, which discloses an external dynamic bone fixation device.
Fietti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,842, issued Nov. 8, 1988, which discloses an arcuate fixator for use in setting of fractured wrist or other wrist disorders.
Clyburn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,919, issued Dec. 16, 1986, which discloses a dynamic external fixator and method of use.
Agee et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,586, issued Sep. 16, 1986, which discloses an articulated Colles' fracture splint.
Brumfield, U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,915, issued Nov. 26, 1985, which discloses a bone fixation frame.
Carrel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,970, issued Oct. 18, 1983, which discloses an apparatus and method for treatment of comminuted Colles' fractures.
Teague, PCT Publication No. WO 82/02830, published Sep. 2, 1982, which discloses a Colles fracture fixture device.
Chiquet, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,116, issued Jun. 16, 1981, which discloses a device for external fixation of bone fragments.
Mraz, U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,033, issued Oct. 26, 1943, which discloses a bone splint.
Wilcox, U.S. Pat. No. 2,204,266, issued Jun. 11, 1940, which discloses a fracture reduction apparatus.
Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,080,802, issued May 18, 1937, which discloses an anatomic splint.
Nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. Thus, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests an external Colles' type fracture fixator which provides pivotal adjustment about a first axis independently of any other movement thereof, pivotal adjustment about a second axis independently of any other movement thereof, pivotal adjustment about a third axis independently of any other movement thereof, translational adjustment along the first axis independently of any other movement thereof, and translational adjustment along the second axis independently of any other movement thereof. Likewise, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests an external alignment table which allows translational adjustment along a first axis independently of any other movement thereof, translational adjustment along a second axis independently of any other movement thereof, translational adjustment along a third axis independently of any other movement thereof, pivotal adjustment about the second axis independently of any other movement thereof, and pivotal adjustment about the third axis independently of any other movement thereof. Further, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests a method of externally manipulating, reducing, and stabilizing a fracture using such an external fixation alignment table and external fixator.